Concerning Summons
by FruitPastilles
Summary: A series of drabbles that span the chapters of Summoning Pact, but seen from the perspective of others. Eighth drabble: Colonello, Chapter Fifteen.
1. Chapter 1

Part One

Colonello - Chapter One

Calls came through every day. There was a resounding sound of summons echoing through the plane, lesser demons getting snatched up. Some were specific and some were open.

Colonello closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of glass breaking, bells tinkling while some gonged loud, the sound of distant waves washing on a faraway shore.

The one that made him sit up and pay attention was the words that filtered through, not the nondescript noise.

 _Am I doing this right? How am I supposed to know if anything's listening in? It's never exactly worked before, has it?_

An aspiring summoner, Colonello guessed, easing back into his sprawled position as the summoning syllables began to ring through. Each person expressed in a different way to different demons. Colonello just happened to hear this one better.

Then came the blaze of power, so strong, so sharp, that he grabbed on without thinking, feeling his pupils dilate and then contract before he was being ripped through the planes and dumped on top of a skinny little brat in a substandard circle.

 _Who stands inside a circle to summon, kora?_ He thought to himself, and made the decision to look at who he was lying on top of.

When bright, burning orange eyes met his, Colonello couldn't help but grab onto this little human, feeling the hum and buzz of power thrumming under skin.

It was intoxicating. It tasted like fire on the back of his tongue.

That was when Reborn came forward and stole the human Colonello had already decided would be his.

The verbal banter, and riling Reborn, was just icing on the cake.

* * *

Time was inconsistent in the planes. Colonello knew this, but waiting until he could find the interesting kid again felt like it was taking a lifetime.

It wasn't hard to guess that Reborn had forbid the boy –Tsunayoshi, his mind supplied– from summoning just to avoid him. And it made him feel angry and vindictive.

Who did Reborn think he was, keeping him separated from this worthwhile human?

But then there was a whisper of a noise, an echo of what it was before and Colonello watched as one of his demons, one his Rain creatures, was pulled through the plane.

It was easy then, to follow the shockwaves, to slip through the cracks and make his way through to the human plane.

Sure, it was easy enough, but, without invitation, the building was incredibly difficult to get into.

Piggybacking a ride was much more effective.

The class was silent as he arrived. The other demon was squished into the circle with him looking a mix of hopeful and frightened. It took no effort and absolutely no remorse for him to kill the straggly thing, feeling inside of him when it settled back into his domain.

From there, shouting at the kid was easy, as was crossing the barrier that the circle made. There was already scrambling, the little humans scattering like an ants nest. The girl, all of them children really, who had made the circle looked as if she was about to be murdered brutally.

Colonello wondered if he was really that bad.

But then he was crossing the room towards Tsuna, the poor little thing flattened into his chair, trying to become one with the wall behind him.

Colonello decided he deserved the kick to the face –a human's tendency to want to survive wasn't something to laugh at– but settled his palm on Tsuna's leg regardless, breathing deeply and just taking in the scent that was as soft as the human and saturated with pure power.

Trying to calm Tsuna didn't work, and it was getting increasingly more difficult to concentrate. Almost embarrassed at how lap-dog like he was acting, he knelt on the floor, looking up endearingly at Tsuna.

But the hum of power was becoming more of that, was becoming a song he could feel in his bones and the tight grasp he had on his figure began to slip.

As soon as Tsuna told him he didn't know what Flame his Aether worked from, Colonello felt as if it were a blessing in disguise.

If asked, he still couldn't admit what possessed him to take first blood then and there, but the burst of flavour across his tongue warmed him to his very core, made a deep part of him purr. That was when the first stirrings of possessiveness started.

 _Reborn,_ of course, had the worst timing.

He always knew when to interrupt, and perhaps it was good he did.

Tsuna had looked on the verge of passing out.

When the tiny thing with power more than his skin could hold ran, Colonello felt that he had earned enough for the day and let the hooks that had dug into his skin pull tight, let them drag him back to his plane.

As he ran his tongue over his teeth for any lingering taste, he felt justified in his take of first blood.

At least then Reborn would take him seriously, and he could actually find the kid if he needed to.

* * *

So, this is fic is just really going to be a collection of different POV's of different chapters of the Summoning Pact.

 **Pure Red Crane** beta'd for me, as always, so thank you very much!

There will be a poll on my profile for those of you interested in picking which drabble you want to see next!


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

Verde – Chapter Two and Three

Colonello was acting like a love struck fool. Verde could feel it across the planes. The blond was like a particularly excited dog wagging its tail.

He had disappeared from his plane –twice, mind you– and returned as if he had solved some important riddle. His happiness and overall attitude was disgusting.

And it reverberated everywhere.

It kept finding him and it was with this distraction that Verde almost didn't notice as Reborn shifted places, like a chess piece moving from one square to another.

Perhaps Verde was sentimental, keeping an eye on his fellow Arcobaleno. It paid off, however. He could focus on the echoes of what they were experiencing and swallow them down like a dragon would hoard pieces of gold.

When Reborn shifted, it was unprecedented. A move so out of place that Verde felt he should be gathering his bearings or something.

Reborn had been contracted to the wispy, strangely powerful, old man for nearly two decades. Keeping peace and teaching and frightening children who were awakening to Aether, was like second nature to Reborn.

He had shifted from a candle flame to a roaring inferno.

Verde desperately wanted to investigate.

Instead, he sat back and decided to watch.

* * *

The event that cinched the deal for him, that made him want to see this thing that it had wrapped both Colonello and Reborn around it's pinky finger, was the fact that, for a brief moment ( _it felt long enough for Verde to panic, to wonder if Reborn had finally been bested_ ), the fire had roared and Reborn had disappeared under its flames.

He had to visit then.

It was tiny.

It was tiny, and human, and oh so frail looking. The disappointment that Verde felt swamped the expectations he had held. He shoved those thoughts aside. Appearances were deceiving, even if this human was doing its best impression of a dormouse.

He briefly made eye contact with Reborn and then gazed about the room.

Brushing his fingers across the head of a well done sculpture, it was child's play to let the thing burn down to ash.

The tiny human exploded. It was so unexpected that Verde almost flinched if he hadn't prided himself on how he was perceived.

The human was now on his feet, voice raised in anger and consternation, not even a flicker of the previous fear. Like rising water, Verde could almost sense as the Aether started to gather inside of the small body opposite him.

Reborn looked horrified. It was almost amusing. He even flinched when the boy poked a finger at him, as if thinking Verde would even begin to be intimidated by a wisp of a thing.

It was amusing, watching Reborn try to placate the trembling human and subsequently fail. But as the small thing snapped back and Reborn acquiesced to being quiet, Verde felt the first prickling of doubt begin to stir inside of him.

What was it, contracted or not, that it could tell Reborn to quiet down and _succeed?_

Verde turned back to regard this human, this 'Tsuna' as Reborn had called him, and stared him down, meeting wide brown eyes with his and wondering how much it took the human to not balk and hide away under such an intense stare.

It was an easy decision, the one to frighten him and show him his place, Verde mused as he adjusted his glasses.

The eyes were wider up close when he crossed the room, the first dregs of fear beginning to bleed into their depths.

But, before Reborn could intervene, before Verde could even think about saying something disparaging, the boy in front of him swung around and punched him square in the nose.

It had been a long time since he had tasted his own blood. It took a few moments for him to drag himself back to the here and now, to remember he was in a time where war was not as common as breathing, that he didn't have to fight tooth and claw for survival.

Taking his glasses from his face –aesthetic, mostly; he liked to come across as inconspicuous– he tucked them away and eyed up the human - _Tsuna_ his mind told him, _call him by his name at least_ – as faint horror started to cross his face. Those eyes that had lit up with an almost bloodthirsty orange had already begun easing back to a natural colour.

Verde almost laughed at the boy when he flinched away, scared _now_ instead of when he should have been before.

Fixing the dragon had Tsuna almost rushing forward. Verde still felt amusement when Reborn held him back.

Possessiveness was not a good look for the Arcobaleno. It was amusing to see.

He sat down, removed his coat, and decided to explain his reasoning for visiting.

The thunderous look on Reborn's face was fun to watch and Verde was counting down the seconds it would take for Reborn to snap and remove him forcefully.

The human – _Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna_ – interrupted with an offer for hot drinks and absconded further into the messy room to the sound of clattering.

Reborn was still looking at him like he was trying to induce murder with his eyes.

It was quite difficult not to laugh.

* * *

Verde couldn't remember the last time he had freely been offered something, without equal or greater payment in return.

Humans were all so, so greedy.

The mint tea was pleasantly sharp, a taste he hadn't encountered before. Verde found it almost laughable that it was of a shade close to his hair.

He offered his name and rank first. It seemed polite, given how he had crashed into this human's life.

It was questionable as to why he couldn't refer to the boy by his name that easily.

But then he was given permission, and suddenly it felt much easier.

It wasn't difficult to tell after that, that he felt guilty about labelling Tsuna before actually knowing what he was getting into.

Interrogating Tsuna with Reborn present was more difficult than he had imagined. The killing intent and protectiveness was battering at him in waves, but the information was worth it.

Tsuna. Eighteen years old. Birthday: Fourteenth of October.

Asking about his Flame triggered Reborn. Verde likened it to a dormant volcano blowing its peak – ready to explode, but only when the timing was right.

Tsuna asked if he needed to be bitten.

Well, it was very interesting to learn that Colonello had been so sure of himself as to take first blood without getting to know the human.

Reborn looked ready to have an aneurysm. Verde promptly learned that insulting humans wasn't the way to endear you to them. Calling Tsuna ignorant –at the very least his species ignorant– had earned him a hurt look.

Verde strangely felt as if he had kicked a puppy and felt justified in his need to explain what first blood was. It appeased the guilt…a little.

Watching Tsuna have what amounted to a short term panic attack was quite something. Verde mourned as he finished his tea at the same time as finishing his explanation. It added to the drama of his words, though.

Verde felt his composure slip just slightly as he decided that now, of all times, would be a great moment to call Tsuna 'physically beautiful' with the most obscure word he could pull out a moment's notice.

Reborn was so translucent that Verde wondered how Tsuna didn't realise how much the demon next to him was so wanting.

Tsuna was pink, and squishy, fleshy and weak.

Reborn still wanted to get with that, Verde had observed. That was really strange.

He still ended up insulting Tsuna again, completely by accident. It wasn't his fault, really, that he was defined by his species.

If only he hadn't been born human, then he might have had some greatness in him.

 _He still might_ , Verde's traitorous mind whispered.

Watching them interact, Tsuna gaining an impressive paleness to his face, Verde decided to interrupt. He would still like to know what this human, what Tsuna, was hiding under his skin. Colonello was known for his distasteful jokes. Tsuna might not be of the Sky like the blond had boasted.

Verde would string him up with his ridiculous bandana if he was lying.

When Tsuna voiced his distaste of blood sharing, Verde tried his hand at a joke that fell terribly flat.

It took little effort to reach forward to the flickering, wavering flame that was Tsuna's Aether, watching it bounce around in his frail, little body.

It was so much harder to let go once he had had a taste, a lick of fire against his tongue, the essence of it flooding his body, rushing through his veins, hooking in deep and refusing to let go…

A very deep part of him murmured _mine_.

Verde shoved that right back to where it had come from.

 _Not yet_ , the more rational part of him decided.

Then the Aether was fading away, that single taste leaving him yearning for more.

Reborn's face, when he chose to give Tsuna his summoning scroll, given out of confidence and a longing he couldn't squash down, was enough that Verde absently wished he had a camera.

Tsuna's very human response of a handshake, that let Verde feel as the Aether buzzed beneath thin skin, was almost endearing.

Verde even asked to take the dragon sculpture with him. At the very least, it would be a reminder of his time with the tiny human called Tsuna, with Aether has big as the ocean and as sweet as honey.

When Tsuna said yes, Verde knew, deep down, he would be coming back to this young man.

He would enjoy every second of it.

* * *

So this was the favourite overall, Verde Chapter 2 to 3.

Hope you enjoyed it as much as the first drabble!

Thanks to **Pure Red Crane** for betaing this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

Reborn – Chapter Four

 _Apprehension. Worry. Fear. Worry. Confusion. Annoyance. Worry._

Tsuna was yo-yoing between emotions fast enough to make Reborn dizzy. It might have paid off to listen to them, but he was walking beside his old Master, and the man deserved some sort of respect.

Timoteo wasn't helping matters by guessing correctly what was wrong. Reborn had to push down the irritation and embarrassment. He prided himself on his stoicism and it wouldn't do to lose that perfectly crafted façade in front of a man as intuitive as the Chairman.

Reborn threw out a casual response, deflecting to a slightly easier conversation topic. He could talk crap about Colonello all day. That was always fun.

Reaching out to steady the old human was an instinctive motion, a motion learned over the years as he gripped at a delicate elbow.

The thing that looked like an overzealous pom-pom sat on Timoteo's shoulder snarled at him. He felt the inane urge to tear it to pieces with his hands.

Timoteo laughed at the interaction, and then shot out a question so left field that Reborn hit the wall before he could straighten himself.

Humans were perceptive, yes, but how had this frail little thing guessed him so easy? Reborn eyed him uneasily and wondered if he would be able to deflect again.

 _PAIN! It hurts, it hurts. Oh god, I'm going to die. Pain!_

The low hum of Tsuna's emotions had settled.

Reborn sincerely wished they hadn't.

 _Painpainpainpainpainithurtspainmyarmgetoffmyarm._

It was a continuous mantra, no longer just a muddle of feelings, but a mind screaming out.

He was halfway down the hallway with no recollection of getting there, but it didn't matter. Something was hurting Tsuna. Tsuna needed him. Go to Tsuna.

It was a simple plan. One he followed.

Seeing the blood on hard floor, the limp body of Tsuna hanging in the jaws of the creature – _biting what was his, no one else's, get your filthy hands off of him –_ was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back.

The deep part of him, buried under countless years of practice and sheer willpower surged forward with an excited hiss of perceived freedom and Reborn let it have reign.

A hand hooked in a mouth full of teeth – the pain in his hand was nothing, _nothing_ – and the creature was thrown across the room, no more than a ragdoll in the face of what he needed to do, in the face of his righteous anger.

 _Don't worry about me_ , the part of him locked in the pacifier whispered. _We'll do what we need to_.

But Reborn pushed that aside. Ignored it, buried it under the worry as he fell to his knees to the, oh so still, body of Tsuna, of what had only been his for a few days. It couldn't be over yet. He wouldn't let it.

Staunching the wound, pressing it shut with a jacket that was easily replaced – _but Tsuna wasn't, he never was, he won't be_ – Reborn felt something inside of him break at the noise that escaped the frail little thing in front of him.

 _A quick death is too kind_ , it whispered to him. _Take payment piece by piece from the skin of its hide._

And he would. Oh, would he ever.

Foolishly, it tried to escape, tried to scramble its way out the window, to freedom. As if Reborn would let it go without repaying ten times what it had done to his Tsuna, _his,_ what this thing had decided to touch like it _could_ without paying for it.

It was remembering that it had hurt Tsuna that let him kill it quickly.

 _Too quick, too quick_ , the voice bemoaned. _Too quick for what it did_.

 _I know, I know_ , Reborn had found himself whispering back.

And then, all there was, was Tsuna.

Bleeding out on the floor. _Dying._

But it was so hard to stop himself from letting loose, to stop himself from listening to the whispers in his mind. _You're already so close, just another step, another step and we'll go there together_.

In the end, he won out against age-old instincts, didn't kill the remainder of the students in the class no matter how much his blood still boiled, and grabbed Tsuna with all the care a mother would pick up her newborn child.

The influx of people, of _demons,_ in the infirmary was too much for him to want to deal with.

 _Not our Tsuna, they can't have our Tsuna_. And then he was curling around the prone, bloody body on the too white bed, feeling the scent of iron and bleak smell of lingering death burn in his nose even as he warned those around him away, even as Tsuna slowly wasted away in his arms.

They could help. He knew this. But they were trying to get near his Tsuna.

That just wouldn't do.

But his mind was screaming at him something dangerous was stepping through and it was so much harder to keep his concentration.

* * *

 _Why are they so tiny?_ was Reborn's first thought at seeing the little human, the one that was holding onto his jacket.

 _How the fuck can he see me_ , was his second. But then the tiny thing was talking, and was breaking every preconception Reborn had ever had. Ever.

Scaring it off didn't work. Wide brown eyes had gotten wider and, god forbid. The thing was now _excited._

Then it mentioned his horns and his blood ran cold. He looked human as disgusting as it was. The pacifier promised that, he himself promised that.

It was a passing mention. A passing mention _but this tiny thing saw his horns._

Horror was as foreign an emotion as the curiosity.

He almost said yes when the human asked to follow.

As annoying and as interesting as this tiny little boy was though, he didn't deserve to be spoken to as if he were no more than muck under someone's boot.

Reborn took great pleasure in frightening the wizened old lady who saw fit to punish the boy that already knew more of the world than she did.

* * *

 _No. No, no, no_ , it was like a mantra in his mind. He couldn't do this. There was something there he would have to get rid of, it was too dangerous to stay. It could hurt Tsuna.

He curled further over Tsuna. He had to keep him safe.

Tsuna was his after all.

But then someone was saying his name, promising that Tsuna would be safe, that he was in no danger.

And Reborn finally realised where he was, who he was, and let the anger, the fear, ease away, feeling as old as his years.

Fon was a godsend. Reborn didn't thank him though. It wasn't a good thing to be separated from his summoner.

Fon was trying to talk to him, asking him about Tsuna, but Reborn didn't want to tell him, didn't want to impart any knowledge.

He still found himself speaking, feeling the calm come along and wash through his being in drips and drabs.

Everything was becoming clearer again. He could relax.

Tsuna chose that moment to try and die on him, a whisper of his name, his own, on his lips.

And, well. He couldn't allow that.

* * *

Fon brought him back again.

A godsend. He really was.

Even seeing Tsuna in front of him, seeing him breathe, hearing his heart beat, wasn't enough to stop Reborn from pressing a hand to his ribs, to feel the hum of the contract, their contract.

Fon was tugging him away and he nearly snapped at him, nearly tore himself free just to stay by Tsuna because he was needed. But Fon was speaking again, and Reborn found it in himself to listen. At least for now.

The questions were torture. He didn't want to answer them, didn't want to think of the outcome that could be any different from what he wanted. Reborn was a selfish person and didn't, couldn't, share.

Knowing that others would flock to Tsuna made him want to snarl, to hide Tsuna away until the others forgot he existed and then Reborn could keep him all for himself.

Not even the thought of their pursuers being of his own kind made him back down.

Fon, Fon, Fon. He was being too reasonable though. Always, always the voice of reason to Reborn's caustic attitude, but eventually a tipping point was reached and Reborn just responded with a guttural snarl.

He thought he had won the argument then.

He should have known.

Really though, he didn't know what he would do without Fon because, infallibly, he was right. Reborn burned with the anger as he realised that he wouldn't be enough for Tsuna, wouldn't be enough to keep him safe when he glittered like a beacon on a dark night.

Verde was acceptable, he supposed. Level headed, even though he had showed too much interest in Tsuna. With his speciality, he could keep Tsuna safe.

Barriers were never to be scoffed at. With Verde's intelligence, they were weapons of war.

Reborn still didn't want him involved though, still wanted Tsuna just for him, no one else, and the pacifier, oh, was it whispering again.

Fon mentioned that, perhaps, it should be Colonello instead?

After the rage had abated, Reborn found himself reluctantly agreeing and Fon left.

Reborn decided it was a wise action.

He might have hit the other Arcobaleno after all.

In the end, curling around Tsuna felt the best, keeping him cocooned in the warmth of his own body, trying to wash away the scent of blood and death by drowning it out with the sweet sound of a healthy heartbeat.

It helped soothe the notion that, just maybe, he wasn't enough.

And it hurt that he couldn't keep Tsuna safe.

For now, though, nothing was getting between him and his summoner.

And if they tried, Reborn would truly show them why he was classed as one of the seven strongest.

* * *

Thanks to **Pure Red Crane** for betaing!

Part three of 'Concerning Summons'.


	4. Chapter 4

Part Four

Fon - Chapter Four

Fon likened himself to a patient person, despite the fact that the very nature of his Flame, his Aether, disputed that.

He was level-headed, calm in the face of danger and, recently, he had found that very little left in the world could surprise him, or even phase him.

He was, after all, a very gentle person overall.

Reborn's anger, ringing loud and clear, blazing across the planes, was enough to shake Fon to his core. He had heard Reborn's anger before, an emotion that was just a shade darker, stronger, than his sadness, but never like this.

Never like Reborn was about to step the line between what it meant to be an Arcobaleno, and what it meant to be the demon it represented, through and through. In fact, it hadn't been like this, not ever since Luce's death, her awful, unlawful, heart-breaking death.

(Even Fon's composure had slipped that day, had crumbled away and tried to slip free from between his fingers.)

It wasn't difficult to make the decision to cross planes, the urge to check on Reborn encompassing the curiosity he felt at wondering what could have caused Reborn to react in such a way in the first place.

Crossing from his plane, where he only really weighed as much as a whisper of a thought, over to the human realm where he'd be expected to be solid was as difficult as ever. Like always, the invisible, sharp tipped fingers dug into his Aether, hooked on tight and tried to drag him back, even as he forged on.

The pain was ice cold and white hot, conflicting feelings, all a ploy to get him to turn back, to return to where he belonged instead of going where he shouldn't be allowed to go.

But Reborn needed him.

And, after all, he had promised to always be there when he was needed. And god forbid whatever tried to get in his way.

* * *

Admittedly, the little brunet human was a really big surprise.

Where had the old man gone? Where had this little thing come from? Why was Reborn so angry and – Oh. There was blood. The boy was hurt.

The pieces clicked into place slower than Fon wanted to admit they should have but he had to push down the questions now and focus on making sure Reborn didn't kill everything with a pulse.

Getting him away from the bed was the most dangerous thing Fon felt he had done in years. One wrong word, one wrong move, and Reborn would snap like a piano wire wound too tight.

And, while the damage wouldn't last in the long term, Fon quite liked having face. It made for easier negotiations.

Thankfully, however, Reborn didn't seem as close to the edge as Fon had originally thought and, after some reasoning, he managed to tug the other Arcobaleno across the room so the human doctors could do something about the mess of blood and bone on the bed.

He almost questioned Reborn why he just didn't heal the boy himself, but the wild look on Reborn's face shut that route down. If he tried anything now he'd probably pop, like a balloon with too much air and then he'd kill the human anyway, instead of helping him.

And then, as an added bonus, kill everyone and everything left in the room too.

Fon found humans difficult, but he didn't hate them enough to set a rampaging Reborn on them.

Asking questions about the new summoner seemed like a safe subject, despite how recalcitrant Reborn seemed in answering them.

Of course that was when a tipping point was reached and the fragile, broken little body on the bed began to gasp his last breaths and Reborn had shot away faster than Fon could stop him.

But, upon seeing the desperation cross his friend's face, at watching the despair as he leaned over the summoner and poured his heart into healing him, Fon decided he couldn't step in between and pull him away again, even despite the dangers.

He wasn't that cruel to separate Reborn from what he so obviously needed to do.

* * *

The boy was healed but Reborn was still emptying everything he had into a body that needed no more.

Fon felt marginally guilty at interrupting a tender moment, the summoner brushing fingertips to the frantic demon's face, a smile spreading across blood speckled lips, but if Reborn went any further, drained himself any further, the human would burst like an overripe fruit.

Fon was a little surprised it hadn't happened already – most humans found it very difficult to sustain Arcobaleno as it was, having Reborn's Aether topping up his own could be a bigger danger than the wound he was suffering.

Ushering Reborn away was a tad easier this time and Fon would have worried at the lack of fight in his form if it weren't for what he had witnessed. Losing a summoner wouldn't have been that drastic a loss, unless – oh, of course.

Reborn was already emotionally invested.

Fon was very surprised by that. Reborn prided himself on being a lone wolf sort of character.

He voiced his concerns.

Reborn almost lit up like the sun (ironic, really) as he waxed poetic about this boy, about Tsuna, in a single sentence.

And, remembering the look on the human's face, unadulterated concern and relief upon seeing Reborn well and happy – without being completely devoid of reason – was enough for Fon to point out that this one was different.

Very different.

(A very quiet part of him thought of Luce and despaired that this would be another tale with an unhappy ending.)

The suspicious look Reborn gave him was completely unwarranted, as if he suspected Tsuna to get snatched out of his hands. Fon hurried to elaborate, should Reborn take him as a threat – he trusted Reborn implicitly, but with his current mental state he was very much a liability.

The sour look on Reborn's face was unexpected as he made comments on how Tsuna didn't need to be special, how he didn't need any attention, and _you shouldn't think so Fon, thank you very much._ Though, not in as many words, of course.

 _Oh, Reborn,_ Fon thought quietly. _This summoner of yours is already making shockwaves._

Suggesting that others might want to contract with a body as powerful as this summoner, of the Sky if Colonello was to be believe, made Reborn act antagonised, and Fon found himself talking a half step back expecting Reborn to start pacing.

Fon tried to reason with him, he did.

But like he had deliberated before, having a face was a good thing.

Having Reborn tear it off in a pique of anger was not.

And Fon knew he should leave it alone, should trust that Reborn knew what he was doing.

The yellow pacifier, hanging low and mocking him with the crack a human eye couldn't see without looking for it, was enough to make him poke the frothing rage that Reborn consisted of at the moment.

Fanning the flames probably wasn't his wisest move, but it seemed to sink into Reborn's skull after insistence.

Mentioning Verde's interest went easier than he expected, Reborn making a noise of distaste, a grumble in his chest he probably intended to be warning and mostly came off as pathetic. At least, that's how Fon interpreted it.

Reborn was finally starting to realise, but was too stubborn to admit he'd been wrong.

Fon slyly mentioned Colonello being more than eager to contract with this Tsuna and the deal was done.

Reborn slammed down like a gate, agreed to Verde if only to stop Fon from mentioning Colonello again, and Fon felt smug that Reborn was still so easy to read, even after all these years.

He patted Reborn's shoulder amicably, mentally gave himself a 'well done' and stepped back to slip between the planes to his own home again.

Unbidden, he found his eyes trailing to the bandage swathed body bundled onto a new, clean bed, the human pale but breathing easy.

He couldn't quite get rid of the unease in his gut as his solid form finally dispersed and he returned to his plane.

* * *

Fon's POV, Chapter Four! Hope you liked it!


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five

Skull – Chapter Ten

Skull twitched into awareness, broken from his meditation by something. It was a foreboding feeling, a trickle of dread through his entire being.

Something, somewhere in the distance, screeched in pain as it was completely destroyed.

Deep inside, instinctively, it clicked.

Ah. Reborn. Of course.

Skull started to relax again, leaning back into the very essence of what he was to drift in his thoughts. His calm lasted for maybe another five seconds before it actually, properly _clicked._ Like, _ker-plunk_ straight into place.

Reborn. His plane. Things dying (as usual with Reborn).

Skull had done something he couldn't remember and Reborn had taken offense.

He was going to die.

(And so young, too.)

No. No, there was still time for him to run and he started gathering himself in, cursing his relaxed state. He should have known nowhere was safe, not even his own plane.

He'd gotten _lazy._ Eww.

There was the chance to run now, collect later, but he'd leave pieces of himself behind. Other demons might get greedy, might gorge on his essence, his Aether.

Facing Reborn's wrath would leave him alive.

Having parts of him eaten would weaken him more.

Skull just had to debate if he could handle the embarrassment. Could his pride deal with another blow?

Probably not.

Then it was too late, and the sheer presence that was Reborn was too close – when had he gotten so big, so fat on Aether? – and Skull could do no more than hunker down and try to weather the storm.

Reborn was like a steady wave, crashing against him and worming through the cracks until Skull was struggling to dig him out from where he'd gotten too deep.

The tug on his core, the pull of _something_ made him pause briefly and that was all the leeway Reborn needed.

If Skull had had a mouth in that moment, he would have screeched at being catapulted between planes and dragged like a hard won prize into the human world.

Being in a solid body _sucked._

Colliding with Reborn after so much time was even worse.

It would take forever to get the stains out of his Aether.

* * *

Skull felt like he was about to be executed. The way the tiny human didn't stir at his arrival, just carried on writing, made him feel like the kid was in the mafia or something, and that Skull was his victim.

Silly thought to have.

The great Skull wasn't afraid of humans!

The human stood up and Skull had to refrain from flinching at the absurdity of it all. Besides, if he showed weakness, Reborn was _right there_ and would probably filet him or something equally as disgusting.

Then the thing spoke and Skull, bracing himself for the worst, was instead offered a drink.

A _drink._

What.

Skull almost swore. He showed more decorum than that even as he subtly freaked out at what was _obviously_ a prank.

Reborn tried to stop him.

Oh no, Skull was on a _roll._

The Tsunayoshi Sawada thing stepped forward. It smiled. Skull almost cried at how crazy this was but he was _great._ He was _Arcobaleno._ He would not be cowed by this fluffy thing.

That was when it supernova'd with Aether and almost blew him off the face of the planet with the shock he felt.

(At least now he knew how Reborn had gotten so _fat.)_

Skull reckoned if he tried to skulk (ha!) back to his plane in the face of this sudden revelation, Reborn would be less forgiving in dragging him back this time. He might even, god forbid, be _malicious._

Besides, Aether did not make the person. Skull voiced this.

The kid was too calm. Far too calm. Skull almost felt his hackles rise. At the very least someone should be jumping out right now and shouting "Surprise!" instead of leaving him to this tense interrogation.

The conniving little _shit_ mentioned his horns and Skull reared back as if struck, feeling something deep and primal inside of him snarl and strain in response. Bumping into Reborn wasn't a problem then.

The _human_ (was he even human, he saw what not even Skull's own kind could) was the more pressing issue.

Skull listened with a sense of numbness as Tsunayoshi Sawada spoke again but, after a moment, the curious ( _dangerous)_ part of him decided in seeing how far this went.

Agreeing to a drink was easy enough. He could do this. It was just a human.

Right?

* * *

Skull started the conversation first, hand around a can of carbonated fizzy drink, that probably had a list of ingredients with names longer than his arm.

He admitted he was curious as to what this thing, this person, could want from him.

 _Byakuran_ was like a stone in his stomach, heavy and aching and, apparently, the trouble of this tiny thing.

Unbidden, gorge rose in Skull's throat as he remembered what had been left of Lal Mirch, scattered Aether and blood as red as a sunset splattered on cobblestones, torn apart more than physically.

Broken pieces that wouldn't fit back together no matter how much Colonello screamed and sobbed and pushed.

Skull wouldn't wish the nightmare that was Byakuran on anyone.

Tsunayoshi-Call-Me-Tsuna Sawada had the vision, a magical, wonderful occurrence that caused a shitstorm wherever it appeared again.

It was a surprise that Reborn had agreed he was good enough to help with a Byakuran shaped problem. It was kinda nice, knowing he was so greatly trusted with such a preciously regarded summoner.

Apparently Byakuran had been in the kid's dreams. Skull blinked and let his gaze transition the corporeal world to shift to the unseen.

The scars Byakuran had left were black, stark and ugly, stretching skin wide to show weakness underneath, bleeding anxiety and disgust, self-hatred.

Skull felt something prickle angrily inside of him.

The human started begging.

Then it cried.

Surprisingly, it also swore (which was unexpectedly attractive.)

Skull decided to ease Tsuna's distress – might as well call him his name if this was gonna happen (oh yes it would, he couldn't wait to stuff himself with Aether again, pure Aether after so long) – by mentioning offhandedly what Reborn had told him about Luce.

Thinking of his past summoner tore a raw hole in his chest, the memories of crossing the world as fast as possible just to see a limp body hanging in the breeze, leaves rustling and the world holding its breath as a wonderful woman gave her last.

Tsuna, the boy, looked so grateful at the subject change that Skull reckoned he could give summoners another chance.

And, just because he could, he asked to feel Tsuna's Aether one last time, and closed his eyes as it washed over him, feeling more at peace than he had in decades.

Yes. This would work out well.

* * *

The calling was so soft, so heartfelt that Skull felt like lingering, just to hear it a little longer. But ignoring the summons was rude and Reborn would murder him for being negligent, so he let the words pull him through.

His heart but all leapt into his throat when Tsuna broke the circle. Just like that.

So much trust.

The fact the other three were hovering like mother hens meant nothing.

Skull was much closer.

Killing Tsuna would have been quicker than they could have moved.

Dragging the summoner to the floor was easier than dealing with the conflicting feelings inside of him, his fingers closing around a bony ankle as Tsuna hesitantly mirrored his movement.

The rush of Aether was a beautiful experience, better than before because now he could _use it_ , let it roll through his body, filling the empty gaps and warming his blood from the inside out.

Breaking the connection was harder than expected. The deeper part of him, waiting even now under the surface of his skin, wanted to bundle Tsuna close and bask until the end of days.

It was frightening.

What the hell. Skull wasn't sure when he'd gotten so lax on keeping his other half quiet.

But then Tsuna was saying such lovely things, that Skull couldn't help but agree with his inner beast.

He had plenty of time to get used to this.

He'd probably enjoy it too, to boot. That always helped.

* * *

Skull's POV, chapter ten! Hope it was okay!


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six

Fon – Chapter Six

Colonello's persistence was annoying. Admirable, yes. Annoying, very much so.

Fon had returned from calming Reborn and had almost immediately been accosted by the very essence that was the Rain Arcobaleno.

If only he were solid. Colonello would have earned himself a very serene, very painful, punch to the face.

Apparently, despite only being in the room and nowhere _near_ the summoner, Fon had still returned with telltale signs lingering in his Aether that Colonello had latched onto, like a starving man stood before a feast.

Fon was just very glad that Colonello didn't have a mouth to spout off platitudes and whingy love poems as he waxed pictures about the brunet with how pretty he was, who Fon _definitely didn't think was attractive, look what Colonello had done to him._

But Colonello had hovered like a particularly stubborn rain cloud, constantly drizzling on Fon's serene, relaxation time and, finally, Fon relented. He stepped back, eased Colonello into a lull of false calm and dropped the promise he'd cross back at a time and place Colonello could follow.

Colonello exploded with such manic energy and excitement that he promptly wiped out a half dozen demons unlucky enough to be nosing about too close by and Fon just witnessed it with faint exasperation as it happened.

It had its benefits though.

Colonello acted more considerately, didn't let his Aether rub so abrasively against Fon's, and waited with more patience than Fon thought he could possess.

When it felt enough time had passed, Fon probed around the human world for where Reborn's Aether shone the brightest and felt placated when Verde's flickered alongside.

Colonello all but vibrated with nervous energy.

Fon opened the gap between worlds and let himself slither through, feeling Colonello so close behind it was if the other wanted to fuse into him.

Then he was stepping into a cosy little room, made even smaller by the mass of bodies occupying it.

Fon made sure to act demure and polite as he bowed his head and gave his greetings. It served to make Reborn look less murderous when the other realised Fon had brought Colonello along.

Something squiggled meaninglessly in his hollow chest as Tsuna offered him a small smile and a quiet greeting and Fon felt himself smile in return, the brunet shuffling on the spot.

His eyes were brighter than the last time he'd seen them, when the human had been huddled and hunched into a small white bed and his eyes clouded with pain, death lingering in the room in just about every way.

Fon felt unreasonably glad he'd recovered – no doubt Reborn had had a hand in that.

He tried to get to the crux of the matter before Reborn's patience and polite countenance wore thin, even began talking to Tsuna (who looked as if he'd rather be anywhere but there) but then Colonello was throwing himself forward like an overly eager puppy.

Fon almost lifted a hand to his mouth, feeling the surprise warring with the amusement as Verde – _Verde_ , of all people – intervened with the stink of jealousy around him, preventing Colonello from making contact with Tsuna.

Tsuna hadn't shrank back. The disgruntlement on his face had intensified and he looked just about ready to murder someone. Fon had to swallow the laughter that bubbled its way up his throat.

Reborn looked like a thunderstorm.

 _I really need a better poker face,_ Fon thought to himself and then addressed Tsuna again before an inevitable fight could break out.

Lord knows he wouldn't be the one to clean up the mess.

Tsuna made a face like he was sucking on a lemon when Fon spoke to him and Fon pursed his lips tightly to hide the smile that would have been just a tad too wide for the situation.

Reborn tried to placate Tsuna.

Tsuna wasn't having any of it, fumbling with shirt buttons and shrugging the cloth of –

Fon's sympathising noise at seeing the silvery-white scar tissue was drowned under the rattling hiss that erupted from Colonello, the other Arcobaleno no longer sulking beside him but shaking in unadulterated fury.

When Colonello crossed the room, Fon wondered belatedly if he should intervene.

If he should step in when the rancid stink of fear seeped free of Tsuna, the tiny thing frightened and angry, all rolled into one prickly ball.

The volcano that was Reborn's anger spiked and any amusement Fon felt fell under the worry when his mind cast back to the crack, the godawful _split_ in Reborn's pacifier and, if the situation wasn't rectified, Fon was certain blood would be spilt onto the hardwood floor and strangely pretty decorative rug.

He was about to step in, saw Verde's eyes light up in readiness to get involved when the delightfully potent scent of Aether rich blood floated into the air.

Fon almost lost all semblance of propriety as he watched Reborn sink teeth into Tsuna's neck, the brunet looking bewildered and horrified all in one.

Tsuna thrashed.

He fought.

There was a punch to the face that Fon winced at.

And then, unable to help himself, he smiled and was forced to hide it behind a hand, Verde's too knowing eyes landing on him even as the other tended to the bite on Tsuna's neck.

Colonello hit Reborn with a noise like a boulder had fallen down a mountain, loud and hard and sharp, a clatter as books scattered upon impact.

A noise that sounded between a screech and a wail erupted from the blonde's throat when they collided.

Fon only had eyes for the pale, bloodied boy across the room, skin around brown, expressive eyes pulled taut in pain and a Cupid's bow mouth pulled down not in anguish but in frustration as they watched the ensuing fight.

Something in the pit of what should have been his stomach sank as he realised, little by little, he was starting to see the novelty of once again being attached to a human being with a soul the size of a storm tightly packed into skin too small to hold it all.

* * *

Fon's POV!

Who's your favourite Arcobaleno?


	7. Chapter 7

Part Seven

Colonello - Chapter Twelve

Tsuna was acting strangely, the contract prickling the skin of Colonello's neck and chest.

It wasn't a nice sensation.

Reborn was useless, angry muttering about an intrusive summoning during what should have been a theory lesson and Colonello surmised that was when the flow of Aether had snapped shut tight and down to just a trickle.

Skull looked like he had bought a puppy, fallen in love, and then subsequently watched it get killed. Verde looked as if he was the co-owner of the same puppy and had even named it and had gotten attached.

Colonello decided then that it was his turn to get shut down by the miserly, miserable mess that was their Summoner.

He followed the candle light flicker of Aether to the classroom Tsuna was sequestered in, waited until Tsuna was in the hallway, and then stepped in the way like a roadblock.

Colonello watched with rising trepidation as Tsuna barely avoided bumping into him, something nervously whispering in the confines of his mind, and then he let himself get manhandled into a corner – because nothing would move Colonello if he didn't want to move.

Tsuna demanded more than asked.

Colonello answered the question with aplomb and demanded an answer with his own questions, feeling the prickle of anger as something haunted flashed in Tsuna's eyes.

Tsuna tried to deflect and Colonello felt the anger flood into something stronger, barely able to keep himself from grinding his jaw. He tried to joke; diffuse the situation, diffuse _himself._

Colonello nearly reared back when Tsuna exploded in a sudden flood of fury and _shame, shame, shame, what am I worth,_ that Colonello felt punch into him as hard as any strike to the gut.

He was bewildered now, trying to pinpoint where this had come from, tried to sort through the muddled emotions that buffeted his being from the tiny, slight, ever so human body opposite him.

When he took them somewhere quieter, where he could offer platitudes, anything, _anything,_ to make his Summoner, his Tsuna, happy and smiling and bright again, Tsuna tried to cut him off with a Reprimand ready on snarl twisted lips.

He shut that down before it could finish. He demanded his own answers.

Something in him shrivelled and dried when Tsuna suddenly lost all fight and crumbled gently before him.

Colonello wanted to strangle something to death, felt the urge to kill and watch life drain from something's eyes when Tsuna admitted in the quietest, most frightened of voices, that he thought he wasn't cared for.

Grabbing Tsuna in a hug was the next best action he could take, even as something foul and beastly stirred in his blood and asked for retribution, to make something pay in blood and bone in return for Tsuna's sadness.

He wrapped himself as solidly around Tsuna as well as he could, pressed his trembling lips to the thin skin of Tsuna's neck, a jaw rubbing against the fragile skin of the contract.

Colonello was a man – demon, thing, monster, the voice in his mind whispered – of action. Flowery words and gentle promises weren't things he indulged in often but when it was _Tsuna_ that needed it, he would give it his best shot.

Tsuna's bitingly sarcastic reply soothed something beneath his breast and Colonello let himself fold into the floor, pulling his precious cargo with him, reluctant to relinquish his grip. It felt like cheating, to prey on Tsuna's weakness this way in order to get an answer, but then he chose to ask the damning question.

The Summoner mentioned the incident, the frightening creature at the artist's building, where Reborn had failed to keep him safe, where Skull's contract had gently unravelled, where Tsuna had been so, _so,_ frightened and Colonello had failed his duties –

Tsuna carried on speaking.

Colonello wished he hadn't.

The beast coiling under his skin, burning through his veins, broke free with a rush of possessive, desperate anger, the noise of fury ripped from his throat like a hand had reached into his chest and torn it out of him.

The rational part of him whispered it was validation of Tsuna's safety when he pressed his quivering mouth, hiding teeth as sharp as glass, against the fluttering pulse under the soft, ever so thin skin of Tsuna's throat.

The larger part of him begged for a taste, _it would be affirmation he was alive after all, all sweet and tangy and here,_ but he resisted and instead bit out words that sounded mangled even to his own ears.

 _It would have taken Tsuna from him._

He barely felt the pain when his guise began to break, the crackle-snap of bone and vertebrae giving way and stretching out, the soft swushing of thin membrane when wings closed around them, protectively, always protecting, _nothing was taking Tsuna from him, not even over his dead body, he would fight and claw and scratch, destroy everything in the way._

Tsuna, delicate Tsuna, gentle Tsuna, frightened Tsuna, tried to calm him. Tried his best. Tried to calm and soothe _him_ , when Colonello should be taking the role of the gentle and soft.

A guttural noise escaped him of his own volition and he made eye contact because Tsuna had to _know_ , know that this was serious, couldn't be swept under the rug, Colonello would _kill_ for him, would rip the world apart at the seams.

Tsuna's voice was stronger when he replied to words Colonello had no idea he'd spoken and Colonello chose to merely bump their foreheads.

Tsuna's pulse was flying, fluttering, banging against his skin in a fast, angry staccato. Colonello nearly found himself distracted.

Instead, Colonello adjusted his wings let himself lean closer. Tsuna grabbed his left horn – he didn't know the implications, Colonello wouldn't ruin his trust like that, even when the voice whispered, _but we can ruin him, ruin him and it would be enjoyment for us both_ – and yanked.

The anger was dousing enough in the wave of unwarranted want and arousal.

A hand lifted and Colonello was surprised he could stop his fingers from shaking as he cupped Tsuna's face, his skin so soft, so human, and his gut angrily clenched as he realised again and again and _again_ what he could have lost.

Tsuna's hand lifted to his, fingers intertwining, heartbeat thumping against the back of Colonello's hand where Tsuna's wrist pressed to his skin.

Another snarl bubbled its way out and was stopped by the press of a thumb to his bottom lip, gentle and reassuring.

Colonello didn't know his pacifier had started glowing until the brightness began to creep away and the shell of his wings started to became a warm, humid cocoon, shrouding the two of them in darkness.

Before the light dimmed completely, Colonello watched, no longer breathing and wondering when he had stopped, as Tsuna reached out a delicate hand and cradled his pacifier so reverently.

Colonello felt the rage seep away, the beast nowhere near sated but content to comfort for now, knowing that there would be a time later where they could tear and break and watch blood spill.

For now, Tsuna was the most important thing he could devote himself to.

It was the barest discomfort when the wings slinked their way back under skin. To his credit, despite the mouthful of knives Colonello had had only thirty seconds before, Tsuna only tilted his head slightly when Colonello pressed his face once again to Tsuna's neck and tried to commit the scent of him to memory.

Colonello already knew the damage he had done to his lifeline, his self-control. The break in the pacifier was physical, the break in himself more metaphysical but still feeling like a gaping, oozing wound.

He pressed a kiss to warm skin, curled his hands around soft curves, Tsuna still young by human standards, holding stubbornly to the vestiges of baby fat and gentleness here and there.

His hipbones were bony where he touched them, and part of him wanted to curl his fingers under shirt and trousers to follow the length of warm skin. He gave into the urge, but let his hand drift up instead of down.

Colonello remembered saying something, hearing Tsuna's reply and the drop of Reborn's name was enough to wash away the remains of anger as he realised and recognised that there would be others present to help him exact revenge on the very thing that had caused Tsuna's anguish.

That made something inside of him both angry and happy – he would have to rely on others when he could have destroyed the threat himself, but he wasn't the only one ensuring that Tsuna would stay alive for a very long time.

He mentioned that they would have to tell the others – sooner rather than later, preferably – and felt like tearing something fleshy to pieces when Tsuna looked ready to cry.

Colonello recognised the fear in Tsuna's eyes and felt something in him twist.

If Reborn, Skull, Verde, if they so much as _hesitated_ in offering their own comforting gestures, he would take great pleasure in watching them bleed.

Tsuna's heartbeat still hummed under his skin like a hummingbird's wings, but Colonello would take every victory he could and hold on as tight as he possibly could.

The taste of Tsuna's fear was bitter on the back of his tongue, black and thick like tar.

Colonello made sure he was nothing but gentle when he took Tsuna's hand and led him back.

Beneath the surface of his skin, the monster simmered and roiled and waited with a patience Colonello didn't know any part of him possessed. One day, and hopefully one day soon, he would feel blood under his nails, would taste it in his mouth, and would take the revenge he needed from the hide of the beast that had dared sully his – _his, his, his,_ the voice hissed – Tsuna.

* * *

Colonello took all the time he needed, wrapping Tsuna up like a babe, curling around him like a physical shield, holding him close like Tsuna would break if the pressure was gone when they reached the bedroom, Verde and Skull of no concern.

When Reborn came back, Colonello spoke with the most even voice he had, kept his sentences sharp and punctual. He didn't distort the facts, didn't mention anything that didn't need to be mentioned, and made sure that he could still feel Tsuna's warmth pressed against his side as the Summoner breathed shakily on the verge of tears.

Reborn's black fury warmed the metaphorical cockles of Colonello's heart. He still wanted to rip into him when the black haired Arcobaleno shoved him out of the way to take his place, curling around Tsuna in _Colonello's_ place like he belonged there.

But Colonello was a big boy, knew where his battles were and where they weren't and instead clambered over the two of them – elbowing Reborn viciously and infinitely careful with Tsuna – before dropping into the space on the other side of his precious little Summoner.

The others were talking then, soft promises, gentle words, even as their emotions crackled, sharp and whiplike across the empty spaces of the bedroom, strong emotions that Tsuna probably couldn't feel with how subdued, how relaxed he was.

Reborn, the awful person, pulled Tsuna away from him slightly.

Colonello had none of it, shuffling back over, curling himself tight and close, and pressed his ear to where he could feel and hear Tsuna's heartbeat like a drum.

It was like a personal reward when Tsuna began to relax, began to press into them in return.

Colonello was going to make his mission to make sure Tsuna never had to worry about such a problem again.

There was an animal inside of him, and if anything bothered Tsuna so deeply again, he would let it out.

A part of him looked forward to the day where he could let loose and turn the creature that had caused this mess into a smear on the floor.

* * *

Mammon Chapter 13 was the most popular after Fon Chapter 6 but this one came out instead! (It wasn't that far out of place, it was in fourth place anyway!)


	8. Chapter 8

Part Eight

Colonello Chapter 15

Trying to traverse the Sun plane when it's owner and master was angry was like trying to swim through molasses. Whenever Colonello tried to ease forward, tried to see further, a great mass would press down on his being, tighter and tighter, until he was forced to pull himself in, to tuck himself into an angry little ball of energy that sizzled anything that came too close.

Reborn had an infinity to hide in, and Colonello only had a few measly hours to find him before he had to return. If Reborn wanted nothing to do with them anymore, then that was one more point to Colonello, more time that Tsuna could devote to _him_ instead of ornery Reborn.

But he was hunting out Reborn _for_ Tsuna, so at the very least, he would devote a little more time to it until he gave up and returned. Reborn couldn't hide forever. Colonello would find him.

When he squeezed back into his human body, he had been stretched for so long it felt strange, like he was a rock trying to fit through the eye of a needle. Hearing came first, the groan of old pipes as water rushed through them, vision coming next and the then everything rushing into together, struggling to snap back into place before they were lost.

Verde's anger crackled across his skin before he'd even opened his eyes fully, despite the fact the other demon was doing no more than reading a book, posture loose and face calm.

Skull was the one to explain, spinning lazily in the desk chair to face him and the beast under Colonello's skin rankled at the predatory look in Skull's eyes, the glow of power, the glow of madness, a tightly reined animal ready to attack.

Before Colonello could do anymore than get angry, get _violent_ , the bathroom door opened and Tsuna's quiet, tired voice asked for clean clothes. Verde unfolded from the floor in a single, graceful movement in answer, voice a low hum in the background as he and Tsuna decided what the human wanted to wear.

When the bathroom door opened again, it came with the artificial scent of Tsuna's shampoo and the mint of his toothpaste and the person himself trudged out, picking his way across the room to slump onto the bed next to Colonello, Colonello all but _preening_ that he was the first choice.

The first words out of Tsuna's mouth asked for Reborn, and under the bitterness Colonello felt sorry that he would have to disappoint, would have to murmur platitudes and useless words because Reborn simply would not be found.

Tsuna refused to tell him what he'd said to Reborn, and a haunted look crossed his face. Colonello bet he didn't even realise that his hand had shot to his throat protectively, fingers curling and then loosening as he scrubbed at a bruise that was no longer there.

When he asked to go with Colonello next time, to traverse the plane in a _human body_ , Colonello wished he could have said yes, couldn't find the words to tell him no, tell him _why_ it was a no.

Verde, still crackling, still humming with power, answered in his stead.

Tsuna pressed further, harder, demanding information with every word, posture straightening as he got closer to the answer he needed.

Skull mentioned Second Blood

 _Tsuna_ mentioned Second Blood, and every fibre of Colonello's body was suddenly alert and aware. He made sure to be the first to show his interest, unable to stop himself from taking Tsuna in from every angle.

Verde tried to make it a no, did his damn best, but Tsuna wouldn't back down and Colonello couldn't help but press to the human's side like a cat seeking attention.

There was a part of him that wanted to pluck Verde's eyes from his skull when the other demon appraised Tsuna in a similar manner, because Colonello could see what Tsuna couldn't, blown pupils, a ring of colour, a monster coiled in a cage suddenly too small. But Verde spoke, rather than acting, a testament to his control and Colonello nearly whined when Tsuna stood, seeming too big in the space of the bedroom.

Tsuna said his name, _his_ , each syllable falling from his lips like honeyed water, gave _permission_ , and Colonello was normally very careful in acting very human around Tsuna to not scare him, but he couldn't stop himself from darting in, fingers curling around an inviting waist, hands quivering in excitement.

He was being too eager, he could see it in Tsuna's eyes, the press of a hesitant hand against his chest that burned like fire and before Tsuna could rescind his offer, could understand the gravity of his words, Colonello was accepting the permission before it was too late.

A hand curved against a waist, another tangled in Tsuna's shirt collar and Colonello had access to skin, unable to stop himself from having a taste, the buzz of power under Tsuna's skin almost tickling, thick against his tongue.

Colonello skated his hand to the back of Tsuna's neck, other hand holding him steady and couldn't help the noise that trickled from his throat, a noise of ecstatic happiness, before his teeth were breaking skin and drawing blood.

The beast wasn't under his skin anymore, it was a part of him, humming along his arms, dancing by his fingertips, igniting his Aether and it was almost instinctive, mechanical, as he untangled his fingers from Tsuna's hair, to bring his wrist to his mouth.

If Tsuna was a demon, if he wasn't so fragile, so human, so _perfect_ , he would have broken the skin himself, would have let them tangle together in a match of strength and wills as they drew blood and Aether and shared power.

But…in Colonello's opinion, this way was just as fun, the taste of his own blood in his mouth, mixed with Tsuna's blood, like a storm on his tongue and before Tsuna could back away, because Colonello could _see_ the realisation in his eyes, Colonello languorously dragged his hand up Tsuna's side and pressed his mouth against Tsuna's.

He could tell the moment that a part of him became a part of Tsuna instead, shared in blood, taken and given freely, because his human shell, woefully limited and dull, became suddenly sensitive and Tsuna started shivering in his hands.

When the body in his arms was pulled away, Colonello fought not to snap and snarl in Verde's face, feeling the sting of reprimand even as Verde fussed over Tsuna.

Tsuna whimpered, then, and Colonello found himself struggling against boundaries he didn't even realise he had, fighting everything he had and only limiting what he wanted to do as a brush of skin and a hitch of breath, a smug murmur of words.

It was step too far. Verde struck back like a venomous snake, eyes bright, teeth bared, and Colonello saw the glint of jealousy in his eyes, the burn of want.

Verde had expected Tsuna to ask _him._

Colonello was barely aware of Skull guiding Tsuna from the room – the human had what he wanted after all, Second Blood, a closer tie to a being of Aether – but Colonello could feel the contract buzzing, the piece of him that was now _Tsuna_ rumbling under his skin.

Verde's anger snapped, sharp and stinging against his side, so explosive that Colonello's arm was vaporised before he could step back, the release of power rocking the building and setting alarms off in the distance.

The pain was nothing to the smug satisfaction.

Colonello had Second Blood. Tsuna was _his._


End file.
